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Show Uork Delayed on Watershed Project Owing to Canal Route Alteration Work on the Green's Lake Watershed flood control project has been delayed this summer owing to an undetermined unde-termined route on the lower region of the floodway channel, chan-nel, it was reported by Warren Bulloch, project chair- maiUpper reaches of the project, including private, federal fed-eral and state lands are ready for the beginning of work. Manning his been completed and both private and fed- ral parties have actually initi-tcd initi-tcd the program with a non-use restriction imposed voluntarily by the interested parties on the project area. This, it was explained, will help the project immensely, regardless re-gardless of what developes on the remainder of the watershed project. Tom Evans, area conservation. 1st, indicated that with work plans completed on the upper portion of the project some work will be initiated this fall regard-leu regard-leu of developments on the flood canal on the lower end of the project This fall work is going ahead to have fencing and seeding completed. Some of the seeding will be accomplished by plowing and drilling while other sections will be reseeded by airplane. Three problems have arisen on the lower portion of the project that have delayed the entire project, pro-ject, Bulloch stated. Of first consideration is the proposed route of the flood canal. Original plans called for the canal ca-nal to cut across highway 91 south of the Iron Bowl into the draining area where flood wo-ters wo-ters would be spread out. This was determined to be unfeasible because of the steep grade In the area, and although the Initial cost will be less for the original construction, project specialists have pointed out that over the lifetime of the project it would actually cost more for maintenance. mainte-nance. As a result a new route has been in the process of determination. determina-tion. This has taken up a considerable consid-erable amount of time and only this week was final data compiled com-piled so that a decision on the most feasible route could be made. Both of the alternate routes would take the canal beyond be-yond the Iron Bowl, crossing the highway on the north of this area dropping back into the cross hollows area. This would bring any flood waters Into the storage area on a more gradual drop, which would eliminate considerable consider-able erosion. Secondly, the project must be considered on the basil of cost. Under the present government system the cost must come under un-der $250,000 to apply for direct government assistance. If the project should cost beyond that figure it would require an act of Congress to allocate the neces-sary neces-sary funds. The committee Indicated Indi-cated in the latest figures that the project with the newest pro. posed route would remain below that amount. Thirdly, the committee has been delayed in acquiring the proper easements for the canal. Work was begun on this early this year, but has been delayed since a change in the route of the canal was contemplated. Until Un-til the canal route can be def initely established easements cannot be gained because of the ' many different property holders. |